By Henry Uche
As part of its continued investment in advancing inclusion of women’s social and economic endeavours, AXA Mansard, a member of AXA, has empowered 200 women in Small and Medium Enterprises with financial literacy and digital business skills.
In collaboration with SME 100 Africa, the two-day training, held in Lagos recently was part of AXA’s lined-up programmes to commemorate this year’s International Women’s Day.
Its Head of Marketing, Olusesan Ogunyooye, said the training aimed to improve business output and position women for the increasing economic opportunities available in an increasingly digital marketplace.
Ogunyooye noted that the move is in line with AXA Mansard’s sustainability agenda, explaining that the company is convinced that support for women through its inclusive protection programmes is pivotal for human progress.
“SMEs are the engine for economic growth. Nigeria should unlock that potential for economic development and how much of that potential will be unlocked by women and for women. We are aware that digital plays a major role in unlocking opportunities and Nigeria’s economic future. So, to ensure that women are equally represented in unlocking these future potentials, that’s why we have collaborated with SME 100 Africa to support them in developing the required skills.
“We understand they have amazing products and services, but they need to understand how to attract value for themselves by attracting the right customers. Virtually all customer segments are online.”
“With digital business skills, we have helped them to find and attract customers,” Ogunyooye explained.
AXA Mansard believes that for the world to experience progress truly, there must be an equitable distribution resources and access to opportunities for men and women. This quest for balance informed the SHE for Shield initiative, a women-centred inclusive protection programme of AXA Mansard.
SHE for Shield is a group of initiatives designed for the Nigerian woman. The goal is to see them grow, add value, and help them mitigate risks at every step. Research has it that access to health care is one of the most important need to Nigerian women, regardless of their economic segment. They desire to be financially independent, secure, and respected in the community.